The Dangers of an Overloaded or Improperly Loaded Truck

18-wheelers seem to be on every road we travel. Although these comparatively massive vehicles are a necessary part of transporting goods across the country, they can also be dangerous – especially when involved in an accident with a car.

One common factor found in most catastrophic truck accidents relates the load the truck carries. In an effort to promote safer roads, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has enacted strict regulations on how much weight truckers’ trailers can carry at any one given time. The FMCSA provides all commercial truckers with a handbook that outlines how to ensure that their trucks are safe and properly maintained, including how to properly load and secure cargo.

Some Background on Big Rigs and Their Loads

Big trucks, including 18-wheelers, can weigh up to 80,000 pounds. Nearly 34,000 pounds of this weight can come from a fully loaded trailer. Trailers alone can weigh more than 10 passenger cars combined. As such, the strict FMCSA regulations are necessary to ensure everyone’s safety on the road. When the truckers or other people loading the trailer fail to adhere to these regulations, it places every motorist sharing the road at a much greater risk of being involved in a serious or even fatal accident.

Some common trailer loading issues include:

Overloaded trailers

Poorly distributed cargo weight

Unsecured cargo

Holding the Right Parties Liable After a Truck Accident

Trucking companies are responsible to ensure that their drivers understand all FMCSA regulations. It is both the trucking company and the driver’s responsibility to ensure the cargo is safely and securely loaded. In some instances, the party that loaded the truck trailer may also be held responsible for any ensuing accident involving the dangerous load of the truck.

If any of these parties fail to properly do their job, it can put everyone else sharing the road with the 18-wheeler in serious danger of getting into a catastrophic and potentially deadly accident.

We Can Help You If Your Are Injured

If you or a loved one has been injured in a truck accident, you need to hire an experienced New York truck accident attorney to protect your legal rights. The attorneys at Gersowitz, Libo & Korek P.C. have more than 30 years of experience and knowledge to aggressively fight for your rights and get you the full extent of monetary compensation that you deserve.

To schedule a complimentary consultation with one of our New York truck accident attorneys, please call 1-800-529-9997.

Gersowitz Libo & Korek, P.C. has been fighting for victims’ rights in New York and New Jersey for over 30 years. Our firm has recovered over $700 million for their clients since opening its doors in 1984. We have been featured in the New York Times, Washington Post, New York Magazine, The Daily News, The New York Post and NBC News, among many other news outlets. We take great pride in fighting for the citizens of New York and New Jersey. Please contact us today if you have any legal questions.

NEW JERSEY OFFICERecognized as one of the leading personal injury law firms in the New Jersey, Gersowitz, Libo & Korek, P.C. has recovered tens of millions of dollars for our clients in New York and New Jersey.

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